Nostalgic Reminiscence
by Treacle
Summary: Sango is depressed and reflects on past events (blaming herself for some of them), but doesn't let anyone see her tears. Miroku finds out, and comforts her. ^_^ One-shot (WAFF) *sappy*, Miroku/Sango fic.


Nostalgic Reminiscence

A/N: I finally wrote an Inu-Yasha fic!  This is a one-shot Sango/Miroku, and it also concentrates on Sango's past...somewhat.  Beware...it's SAPPY!!!!!! ^_~  R&R!

Disclaimer: I'm not Rumiko Takahashi...I don't own Inu-Yasha or any of its characters!  ;_;  *hugs a Sesshoumaru plushie*

Sango stepped out of the small hut, silently closing the door behind her.  She didn't bother waking up Kirara.  She just felt like being alone for awhile.

She brought her boomerang along with her, of course. _'A taiji-ya must always be on her guard,'_ her father had told her countless times when she was young.

Everyone else in the hut had been asleep for hours...except for her.  She had been finding it increasingly hard to sleep these days.  

She made her way over to a small hill in the distance, her bare feet sinking into the soft grass as she walked.  She loved the tickling feeling of the grass against her feet, and the cool breeze blowing over her toes.

Arriving at her destination, she carefully placed Hiraikotsu on the ground next to her, and positioned herself on the grass so she could have a nice view of the stars.

_'How long has it been,' _she thought to herself, _'Since the days when I was truly care-free…'_

She sighed, and gazed wistfully into the night sky, a somewhat gloomy expression on her face.

_'The days when my village and my family were still around…..'_

Sango thought she felt tears forming in her eyes, but she hastily brushed them away.  She had made a promise to herself not to cry...because crying wouldn't change a thing.

"The days when I didn't have to worry about…Kohaku."

_::Flashback::_

_"A-aneue…" Kohaku addressed his sister.  He was sitting near a lake, staring into the murky water.  A worried expression reflected in his eyes._

_"What is it, Kohaku?" Sango asked him, rolling her eyes slightly.  She already knew what he was going to ask, because he asked her this question at least once a day it seemed._

_"Do you really think I'm ready to become a taiji-ya?  What if I do something wrong?"_

_"We've been over this so many times already," Sango rolled her eyes again, smiling reassuringly at her timid brother. "You'll be FINE…nothing can go wrong.  I've seen you train, and I'd say you're definitely demon exterminator material. Please trust me, and stop worrying about it." _

_Kirara went over to Kohaku and nudged him playfully, as if she were trying to reassure him too.  _

_Kohaku smiled and pet the cat youkai, giggling as its two tails darted back and forth. _

_"Alright," Kohaku's voice was much more confident now. "I trust you, aneue…"_

_::End of Flashback::_

"I never even thought that something bad might happen...chichiue…..the village..." Sango whispered.  "Damn it all!  If only we hadn't gone to that stupid castle..."

Sango closed her eyes and clenched her palm into a shaking fist. She felt the tears forming again.  Before she could even brush them away, she heard footsteps.  Someone or **_something_**was walking towards her.  She immediately popped her eyes open and grabbed Hiraikotsu.  She turned around, expecting to see a youkai, but instead...

"Houshi-sama?" Sango was surprised to see Miroku.  Had he been watching her this whole time? "I'm sorry...did I wake you when I went out of the hut?"

"No, you didn't wake me," Miroku said with a sigh. "I couldn't sleep either." He sat down on the grass beside her and leaned back, using his arms as a pillow.

Sango stared at Miroku, who was now gazing at the stars, as she had been doing minutes earlier.  _'He seems like a completely different person right now…one would never be able to tell he's a pervert…' Sango thought. __'Hmm…so the lech has a serious side to him too, huh?" _

"I couldn't help but overhear you talking to yourself just now, Sango….." Miroku cast a worried glance at the demon exterminator. "What happened to your family...your village…..it really wasn't fair.  I can't even begin to imagine-"

"The suffering I've been through, houshi-sama?  The tears I shed, that nobody *should've* known about?  The guilt I feel for not being able to save my dear ototou?" Sango glared icily at Miroku, and turned away so that her back was facing him.  "You're right…you can't understand.   Because you were always too busy flirting with other women," 

Miroku felt slightly hurt at Sango's cold reply, even though she spoke the truth.  He was only trying to make her feel better.  

Sango thought about what she had just said.  Her guilt?  Did she blame herself for what happened to Kohaku?  _'That's right...if I had only stopped Kohaku in time, then he wouldn't have killed father…' she thought to herself, eyes widening in "realization".  _

Sango suddenly felt her entire body shaking.  _'I could've stopped him…..'_

"You know Sango...it's okay to cry," Miroku said quietly, interrupting Sango's thoughts.  "You're a very strong person, and I can see tha...we can all see that.  But...you don't know how much it pains me to see that melancholy look on your face so often.  You always seem so depressed.  You keep those emotions bottled up inside of you, ne?  You shouldn't..."

"It...pains you to see me this way, houshi-sama?" Sango turned around, staring into Miroku's eyes.

"Yes...," Miroku said. "You know...I've never met a woman like you before, Sango."

"..."

"You're bravery and beauty can match that of no other woman I've met," Miroku put his glove-covered hand on Sango's shoulder.  "That is why I hate to see you depressed."

Sango flinched slightly at his touch.  Understandably, she always got uncomfortable when Miroku touched her.  She blushed, realizing that he hadn't touched her in that way, this time.

Miroku frowned, knowing why Sango had fidgeted.  He put his other hand on Sango's other shoulder and looked her in the eyes.  "I know it's hard...but please, I want you to trust me," he said seriously.

Sango looked at Miroku.  Never had she let him come this close to her before.  His eyes looked apologetic...she decided to trust him…..for a little while, anyway.  She knew that once she was out of her state of depression, he would be back to his usual perverted self.  _'Does he really care about me that much?'_

"Houshi-sama..." she decided to change the subject. "I'm glad you came here to be with me..." she stared into the stars once again, her hair blowing in the cool night breeze. "It _has_ been hard..."

"I know, Sango…" 

"Whenever I see Kohaku...the blank expression on his face…..it reminds me of how I fail to protect him….." An angry look suddenly shone in her eyes.  "If only I could defeat Naraku sooner, single-handedly!" Sango clenched her teeth, and allowed a few tears to fall from her eyes.

"You mustn't blame yourself," Miroku told her firmly, "Even Inu-Yasha wouldn't be able to do that task alone...it's something we must do together.  I promise you, we'll get Kohaku back."

"H-houshi-sama…" _'Is this really the same man who asks every woman he sees to bear his child?  No…it can't be.'_

Sango gasped in surprise as Miroku pulled her close to him.  

"Cry, Sango.  Let out your emotions."

And Sango cried.  She cried until day break until her eyes were red and swollen.  _'Is this really the first time in my life I've ever cried?'_ __

Soon, the sun had risen all the way.  As the others stepped out of the hut, they immediately noticed the two figures sitting side by side on the hill top.

_"I promise…I will always be here for you…"_

"Arigatou, houshi-sama..." Sango smiled.  Indeed, she felt better.  At last, maybe she would be able to sleep again at night.

Miroku still held Sango in his arms, and he gazed down at her, smiling.

"We _will_ get Kohaku back..." he said. 

Sango swore that she had never seen such a sincere expression on his face in the whole time she had known him.  She hoped his face only bore that expression when he was with her.  She hoped he didn't think of her as just another woman.  

Sango looked into Miroku's eyes.  He had been crying too; he had been crying for her.

"Miroku… thank you.  Indeed, I have never met someone as caring as you before, either..."

Their lips were centimeters apart now, and as an early morning breeze blew past them…they shared a kiss.

_*~Owari~*_

A/N: *slaps herself repeatedly* It was very WAFFY, I know.  I tried to revise it to make it SLIGHTLY better, but I'm not sure if it helped any...^-^ Oh well!  PLEASE review and give me your opinions!  Just try not to flame, kay?  ^_^; Ja ne!


End file.
